Sunday, December 2, 2007

The Final Countdown

On April 2 of this year, Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald wrote the following:

"Ramirez has two seasons remaining on his eight-year, $160 million dollar contract, and then he'll be out of the Red Sox lineup and out of our lives for good. We're at T-minus 19 months to liftoff from Planet Manny, and then the man will disappear into Red Sox history, never to appear at NESN again."

I knew this was coming: it's sort of like tax day: you just put it to the back of your mind, force yourself to forget about it for a while, and then deal with it when it gets here.

Over the weekend, I received my Boston Herald and Boston Globe commemorative World Series books in the mail, and reading those I came across the article I quoted. Technically, Manny won't be a free agent: the team has $20 million dollar options for 2009/2010. The likelihood they exercise them falls right behind Rakes NOT getting in trouble tomorrow and the sun rising in the morning. NO WAY this ownership group is going to give 1 player $40 million for 2 years: especially not one who will be 36 at the end of next year and whose effort and defensive skills are considered by some as, well, questionable at best.

No more manic finger pointing, petting other players heads, and water bottles in the outfield. No more IPods during BP, random head first slides, and wearing Wally's glove in the dugout.

On the flip side? No more tape measure Home Runs, no more circus catches NOBODY saw coming, no more getting to watch one of the best pure hitters to ever play the game on a daily basis, and no more man hugs with Papi, Tito, the clubhouse attendant, and the guy selling hot dogs behind the Red Sox dugout.

Without Manny, the Red Sox world will be a little less brighter, a little less quirkier, and infinitely less entertaining.

39 comments:

oh come on Ted. you KNOW someone else will fill Manny's shoes as the class clown. Its a space that can't help itself. It begs for someone to be "that guy" on the team. the Red Sox have always had that player...Manny is just an exaggerated one. Millar was it for awhile. Spaceman was it back then.

and maybe if Manny used Wally's glove, it would bring more entertainment out there

What I am really concerned about is the Sox saying they are willing to give up Ellsbury for Santana now. I know that means Lester would not be included, but to be honest... I would rather see Lester go than Ellsbury.

My biggest fear is sinking that much time & money into a pitcher -- *any* pitcher. I'm still way too traumatized by the Matt Clement experience. It's nice in theory, to think of a rotation like that. But part of what is enjoyable for me, as a fan, isn't *just* the World Series win, but watching these guys for 162 games. And players like Ellsbury make the whole season exciting. I don't want to sell the farm on one guy, for that much money & have him in for Tommy John surgery in June. As of this morning though, it appears the Twins & Red Sox have exchanged medical records on Santana & Lester -- that package is the one I want to see happen! The one with Lester-Coco, not Ellsbury.